For, when with beauty we can virtue join, We paint the semblance of a form divine.
{Matthew Prior}

Sunday, 19 June 2011

A Brief History of Womens Sporting Fashion at The Wimbledon Championships

I've been meaning to post this for a while. As soon as I viewed the BBC ads for the championship coverage. Now watching a documentary on Wimbledon, and eating my Sunday diner, I felt it was the time to begin the post. Focusing on the historical change in fashion and function of the infamous white kits, of the competition held just a number of minutes from me in South West London. Interestingly the reason for all whites is not to reflect the unlikely rays of the sun, rather it is to remain demure whilst playing by hiding perspiration! We Brits really do like to manage our appearances, stiff upper lip and all that.

Beginning in 1877, this two week tournament plays host to the highest calibre of athletes of all ages from around the world. Firstly, I'd like to start with the womenswear. Initially, involved in the 1860s women wore heavy materials in the form of below-the-knee, pleated skirts and petit coats.

Maud Watson, 1884 first ever Women's singles Winner

May Sutton, 1905 Winner was the first to bear wrists! Oooo Cheeky!

Suzanne Lenglen, 1919, got the guns out in light weight fabrics with sleeveless tops. Also noticeable is the shorter skirt length.

Helen Jacobs, 1930, changed the game, forgive the pun, to the more modern look we are familiar with now, sporting flannel shirts, polo tops and generally slimmer kits.

Subsequent to skimming through almost a century of sartorial sporting succession, here are a few of my favorite female fashions and faux pas of more recent times...

Unlike Wimbledon, the French and US Open through caution to the wind, disregarding Wimbledon's uniform conformity allowing players to wear, well anything. The Williams sisters have taken full advantage of this...

Venus Williams 2011, French Open,

Sereena, the super hero look

The designer of these garments must be cautioned for offending the sensibilities of millions of conservative tennis fans with these monstrosities.

From all covered up to barely covered at all tennis vogue has changed considerably, I look forward to seeing the icey-white garb gracing the manicured lawns of Wimbledon this year.

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Stefan Semblance